Method of producing tempered glass sheets



Aug. 18 1942. E. FERLITO METHOD OF PRODUCING TEMPERED GLASS SHEETS Filed Nov. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 18, 1942. E. FERLITO METHOD OF PRODUCING TEMPERED GLASS SHEETS' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1958 laaazdale'rfifa Z v [QM Passed Aug. is, 19 2 r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD or PRODUCING TEMPERED crass .Edoardo Ferlito, Milan, Italy Application November 1, 1938, Serial No. 238,158

- In Italy December 24, 1937 5 Claims. (Ci. 49- -79) The present patent application has for its v object improvements in the production in series tion now is to provide an improved method which makes possible a production in extensive series and which results in a reduction of the cost of the sheets, while leaving the existing plants substantially as they are, and limiting the production of various sizes, not in series. The invention concerns, precisely, improvements tending to adapt the existing horizontal and vertical machines to the production, in a continuous manner, of sheets of glass or of crystal by providing suitable tempering arrangements;

Methods are well known that are based on the abstract principle of the formation of tempered glass during the rolling of same by vertical systems. no provision for cutting the glass into several parts after the tempering thereof, or else mechanical means are resorted to such as are totally unadapted to a production in series.

It would not be advisable to heat the glass during the course of the manufacturing process simply to have to cool it subsequently and then re-heat it later for the tempering process.

According to the aforesaid patent application and as indicated in the present specification, the invention contemplates the formation of grooves upon one or both sides of one and the same sheet during the tempering process. These grooves have minimum tensions (due to the limited thickness of same) or have at least different tensions from the'rest of the sheet. In this manner the sheets may be cut, after tempering, into several pieces, out of the large tempered sheet, along the aforesaid grooves which serve as cutting or detachment lines.

The present invention is applicable to horizontal as well as to vertical sheet glass producing machines. ,These machines are characterized by a plurality of rollers having special pro- Jections or recesses, or blades or punch-dies shaped to conform exactly to the pattern, which must be etched on the heated sheet as soon as same has left the tank and during the formation These methods, however, make thereof, which patterns correspond to the size and shape of the finished glass sheets and therefore constitute cutting lines. The apparatus for the rolling out of the glass both horizontally and vertically is provided with stamping means that follow said sheet in itsascending or horizontal course at a speed corresponding to that of the glass strip and suitably accelerated relatively to the work actually in hand. In combination with these machines, means are provided for the sudden cooling by jets of air or other fluid, or

through an opportune aspiration of the hot air.

These cooling means, such as caissons, perforated pipes, nozzles and so forth, may be fixed or movable, according to the thickness of the sheet and to the speed of travel of the glass strip, and.

may blow air uninterruptedly or at intervals. They may also be arranged so as to cool both sides of the sheet.

The large strip-shaped sheet emerging from the tank will be' impressed by rollers, blades, wheels or dies, situated at a proper height relatively to the tank. These rollers, etc., are constructed to produce a series of preordinate grooves, simple or crossed or of any description, on said glass sheet,,which grooves will form the lines ,for subsequent separation. After that, tempering will take place.

It will be understood that the grooves or indentations may also be made in sheets by casting or similar methods.

The improvements will be more precisely understood from the annexed specification, and the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way 1 of example how the invention may be carried with raised portions, and

Fig. 6 shows saidcylinder in a front elevation:

Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of a device to be applied to a furnace of the Libbey Owens type in which cutting grooves are produced upon a horizontal sheet;

Fig. 8 is a schematic side view of a modiflcation;

iFig. 9 is a front view of the device shown in F s- Fig. 10 is an end view of a modified form of the invention involving the use of a casting grate for providing grooves in the molten glass sheet prior to tempering, the glass being shown in position in the mold.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the sheet of glass c rises from the tank a of a conventional furnace through a special (floataccept? the strip above the first rollers ef may also be omitted.

Thus, a continuous glass strip is obtained,

- which becomes tempered as the aforementioned ing) stock b. This sheet is of a pasty consistency and has a width and length corresponding to the passage through the said float b.

For a certain distance-to be estimated by the expert in each particular casethe glass strip is guided by two rollers dd. Immediately after; the said rollers, the sheet is gripped by two other large rollers -1 of which that marked c in the example is a press roller such as that indicated in Figs. 3 and 4; that marked 1 instead, being a roller provided with raised portions as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6.

The roller 1, as illustrated, includes linear raised portions for producing quadrangular sheets, but it will be plain that the said raised portions may be of any other shape. It is advisable to heat these raised portions or points for the purpose of permittingv the formation of the grooves as required.

Two guide rollers dd follow the rollers e, 'f and then the ascending sheet proceeds between two special large air-blowing rollers o-o. These rollers are provided therefor with a certain number of nozzles, slots or passages g through which is violently blowrr the cold air introduced into said rollers by means of ventilators (not shown in the drawings). These nozzles or passages are provided with 'regulat-s able closing means, so as not to blow any unnecessary air, and especially, not to blow any against the lower part of the sheet during the grooving process, viz. not to blow it against points at whichthe glass is to remain heated more blow-rollers g-g and lastly, two large airaspirating rollers h--h, having the same power as those marked 9, but which, instead of blowing, aspirate the heat remaining on the sheet 0.

Although Figs. 1 and 2 show rollers f-f only as carrying raised portions to fit the grooves in the sheet, it will be understood that the rollers e and e may be similar to those marked f--f that is, they may also be provided with raised portions. In the latter case'however, the raised portions of the said cylinders or rollers must with one another coincide and the two cylinders must rotate at the same speed, so that corresponding indentations are produced on the ascending glass strip on both sides in registering relationship.

The means for rotating the blowing cylinders is arranged so that the speed of rotation of successive cylinders will increase progressively with respect to their order of engagement with the glass sheet.

If necessary, the guide-rollers d disposed along cycle is completed and provided with various lines or indentations, within which indentations or grooves the tensions are at a minimum relatively to the tensions in the rest of the sheet, in any event the tension in the grooves is less than in the rest of the sheet. Thus, the said tempered glass sheet may, after completion of the tempering operation, be divided into a numher of sheets or portions, determined by the grooves produced upon the aforesaid glass sheet. The severing may be accomplished by any wellknown means and the severed edges may be polished in the usual manner.

The example according to. Fig. 7 shows, as

already stated, a method that may be applied immediately after the treatment in a furnace of the Libbey Givens type. In this latter case, the horizontally moving strip is grooved with cutting points or the like, spaced a certain distance apart, to enable the separation of the several sheets delineated.

Referring to Fig. 7 the strip 11 of incandescent glass, guided by the guide-rollers d--d, passes between two cutting points Ic-Jc disposed above and below the strip, which points are caused to advance at predetermined intervals by any kind of means, for instance compressed air, hydraulic means, adjusting screws, or other mechanical The underlying caisson Z of a shape and size similar to that marked 1, but instead of blowing air, may aspirate the heated air from off the glass sheet undergoing tempering.

Two successive pairs of rollers (t-d guide the strip.

The example indicated in Fig. 8 may be applied to furnaces producing vertical glass strips.

In this example, no engraving rollers are employed, but instead dies, carrying, in relief, the

outlines of the glass sheet desired to be produced. These dies accompany the strip for a certain distance. Upon their disengagement with the strip they re-descend in order to again engage a succeeding zone of glass strip.

The apparatus may beactuated by compressed air, or by a hydraulic system, or by any other suitable actuating force.

In the example shown, there are located on either side of the glass strip c emerging from the furnace tank, and upon the furnace itself, two hollow columns or pillars m-m within which operate two pistons nn. At the top of the saidpistons are located two cylinders 0-0 with in each of which operates a piston 0' to one end of which the dies it are afiixed.

At the base of the columns m-m are situated two escape conduits p-p and two admission conduits qq. I In the upper cylinders oo there are two conduits r--r one on either sideand two admission conduits s-s.

The lower conduits p-p are controlled in syn same may be said as regards the upper conduits 1-1 which are also controlled in synchronism with the cutting off of water or air from the cylinders -0.

This control is not-indicated in the drawings but is obviously obtainable by any mechanical means.

The dies t--t connected to the pistons 0 carry, on the face bearing against the glass strip,

raised portions following curved, straight or other lines for obtaining glass sheets of the desired shape. In the example, the die t carries horizontal lines in relief, while the die t carries vertical linesin relief. In this manner the strip is grooved on both sides for quadrangular sheets.

The operation of this arrangement is as follows: The strip 0 emerging from the furnace tank,

guided by the rollers dd is engaged on either side by the two dies t- -t actuated by compressed air or water through the conduits ss. -At this stage of the operation the pistons nn have reentered the columns m-m and the dies have assumed the position indicated by the dot-anddash lines in the drawings.

The. air or the water presses the dies t-t against the rising strip. As soon as the two dies press firmly against the sheet, air or water is immediately admitted into the conduits qq.

c and push the dies along with them until a distance corresponding to the size of the dieshas been traversed. The admission of air or water is then cut off from the conduits s-s, the conduits rr being opened at the same time, whence the' air or the water contained in the cylinders 0-0 is evacuated. The return movement of the dies sheets of tempered glass from molten glass comprising, continuously forming molten glass into a sheet of substantially uniform thickness, forming while the sheet is still in a soft condition intersecting grooves in'succeeding portions of said sheet, at least one of the grooves being continuous and extending thereacross substantiallyfrom edge to edge thereof, continuously. subjecting successive portions of said sheet to a cooling blast immediately after the formation of the grooves, and severing the sheet along the grooves The pistons nn will then ascend with the strip may be accelerated by special springs 0 contained within the said cylinders o.

The pistons nn descend, by their own weight, and the dies return to the dnt-and-dash line position. 4

This operation is repeated indefinitely.

Meanwhila-the rising sheet, as soon as it is caissons u-uwhich-like those previouslydescribed-blow cold air against the sheet, tempering same, and so on. 7

As previously indicated, selected movement may be imparted to the air streams emanating from the caissons u-u so as to, prevent theoccurrence .of irridescence.

Referring now'to Flgure"10,the invention may also be carried out by placing the vitreouscastdisengaged from the dies, passes between the two after chilling. 1

3. A continuous process for the production of sheets of tempered glass from molten glass cornprising, continuously forming molten glass into v a sheet of substantially uniform thickness, forming while the sheet is still in a soft condition intersecting grooves in succeeding portions of one face of said sheet, at least one of the grooves being continuous and extending thereacross substantially from edge to edge thereof, simultaneously forming registering grooves on the opposite face of the sheet, continuously subjecting successive portions of said sheet to a cooling blast immediately after the formation of said grooves, and severing the sheet along the grooves after chilling. Y

4. A process for the production of sheets of tempered glass from molten glass comprising, forming molten glass into a sheet of substantially uniform thickness, having at least'one continu-' ous groove therein extending 'thereacross substantially from edgeto edge, subjecting all portions of said grooved sheet to a cooling blast immediately after the formation thereof, and severihg the sheet along the groove after chilling.-

5. A continuous process for the productionv of sheets of tempered glass from molten glass comprising, continuously forming molten glass into a sheet of substantially uniform thickness, forming while the-sheet is still in a soft condition at ing '2 on a mold a: embodying the desired design. I

The registering intersecting. lines in the sheet may beapplied to the castingby a roller 11 em bodying a design 0 similar to that of the mold.

After the intersecting lines have been formed in e vitreous casting. the latter may be cooled in the manner previously described. 7 What I claim is:

as process for the production "a sheets of least one continuous groove therein extending thereacross substantially from edge to edge, continuously subjecting successive portions of said sheet to a partial tempering, reforming said groove subsequent to the partial tempering, completing the tempering and thereafter severing the sheet along the groove after chilling.

EDOARDO FERLITO. 

